Entertainment
The 15 most addicting reality shows now streaming on Netflix
Do want to watch people fall in love? Do you want to watch people fall off of stuff? Do you want to watch Billy Eichner yell at unsuspecting passersby just trying to live their damn lives in New York City? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you’re in the right place!
Finding quality reality TV can prove difficult for cable cutters, since much of it still airs live. Luckily, Netflix has a huge selection of reality programs ripe for the time wasting.
From The Casketeers to Rhythm + Flow, here are the 15 most binge-worthy reality shows now streaming on Netflix — ranked by just how much we think they’ll consume your life.
Note: All cooking shows (yes, including The Great British Baking Show) have been excluded on the basis that if we had included any of them, they would have to make up at least 10 entries. We’re also not listing any docuseries, because that isn’t “reality TV.” Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
A zanier take on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, Ultimate Beastmaster pits international athletes against one of the hardest obstacle courses ever constructed. Then, they face each other.
Each episode, the competitor with the highest score is named “The Beast.” Then, at the season’s end, nine Beasts compete on a new course to become [insert intense techno] THE BEASTMASTER. With commentary featuring tons of spectacular hosts from across the globe, Ultimate Beastmaster is essentially the Olympics of reality TV… if the Olympics were pretty dumb.
How to watch: Ultimate Beastmaster Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Netflix.
Chances are you’ve already treated yourself to a Billy on the Street clip binge. Now, enjoy the Funny or Die masterpiece in its full-length format.
With help from celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Amy Poehler, and Keegan Michael-Key, comedian Billy Eichner takes to the streets of New York City to ask people questions they often don’t want to answer. Netflix only has Seasons 2 through 5 of the series, but those are some of its best. Embrace the nostalgia of Eichner’s early 2010s comedy stylings and you’ll have a blast.
How to watch: Billy on the Street Seasons 2-5 are now streaming on Netflix.
For animal lovers who’ve already watched Netflix’s Dogs docuseries, Save Our Shelter is your next must-watch. Host Rocky Kanaka travels the country with a panel of dog-loving specialists who help Kanaka makeover animals shelters in-need. Think Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, but much sweeter and with four legged creatures that are actually supposed to be there.
How to watch: Save Our Shelter Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix’s first original dating show may be packaged in romantic cinematography, but make no mistake: Dating Around can get just as a dramatic as ABC’s The Bachelor.
Contestants — diverse in age, race, and sexuality but universally unlucky in love — head out for a night in New York City. Each participant then goes on one date, identical to all others contestants’ (all eat at the same restaurant, go to the same bar, etc.), and focus on sparking a connection with the episode’s eligible bachelor or bachelorette. There are intimate conversations, surprising accusations, and lots of awkward pauses. You’ll fall in love.
How to watch: Dating Around Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Follow me: Competitive. Body. Painting.
Hosted by actress and model Rebecca Romijn, Skin Wars chronicles a group of talented artists as they take on challenges involving human canvases. The winner of each season walks away with a one-year supply of speciality paints, the opportunity to appear as a featured artist at an international body painting trade show, and a cash prize of $100,000.
If you love Skin Wars and all its crevice covering, nipple disguising action, also check out Skin Wars: Fresh Paint. Hosted by RuPaul, this spin-off series sees Skin Wars winners train newbie artists to body paint for the first time. It goes… about as badly as you’d expect.
How to watch: Skin Wars Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Netflix.
It’s Punk’d, if Punk’d took place in a bad horror movie.
In this elaborate prank show, 17-year-old Gaten Matarazzo of Stranger Things fame terrorizes unsuspecting adults who answered wanted ads for one-night only jobs. An example? In the first episode, a babysitter and a donation pickup volunteer (both the ones getting pranked) are terrorized by a talking teddy bear that springs to life and chases them down a hallway.
If hidden-camera shows aren’t your thing, Prank Encounters will hardly convince you. (There are better ones out there, to be sure.) But watching surprised victims desperately try to call Matarazzo anything other than “that kid from Stranger Things” is always hilarious.
How to watch: Prank Encounters Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Seemingly based on the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover,” Netflix’s Amazing Interiors visits unassuming buildings that hide spectacular secrets.
From a house that doubles as an aquarium to a steampunk wonderland, the locations featured on this show are as breathtaking as they are memorable. Each episode runs a little under a half hour, the perfect background noise or pre-bed show to bring into your home.
As a bonus, check out Interior Design Masters, a British competition series that tasks ten artists with reimagining commercial spaces like restaurants, model homes, and store fronts. The winner walks away with a high-profile commercial contract to redesign a bar at a London hotel.
How to watch: Amazing Interiors Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
National Geographic’s iconic Doomsday Preppers may have ended long ago, but there’s always time to revisit just how bonkers this show was.
Documenting the Armageddon plans of “preppers” across the United States, this mind-boggling series will make you ponder just how many ways the planet could come to a screeching halt — and whether these strategists will be the only ones who are ready. From pandemics to nuclear disasters, the world could go bye-bye at anytime, but Doomsday Preppers is forever.
How to watch: Doomsday Preppers Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
The internet-famous owner of Generation Cool, a vintage store in Tucson, Arizona, Robert Hall (aka “Slobby Robby”) stars in a Pawn Stars-esque show capturing Hall’s passion for ’80s and ’90s memorabilia.
Surprisingly sweet and unspeakably strange, Slobby’s World is one of Netflix’s weirder corners. You’ll have so many questions about this man. Many will go unanswered. But you’ll be treated to glimpses at plenty of cool collectibles and a portrait of one guy who screams passion along the way.
How to watch: Slobby’s World Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Follow me (again): Competitive. Glassblowing.
In the back-breaking world of glass arts, the stakes couldn’t be higher. One wrong move and an award-winning masterpiece can become worthless shards in seconds. For the competitors in Blown Away, the pressure is on to nail weekly challenges and progress closer to the coveted titled of “Best in Glass.” There’s screaming, there’s crying, there’s a whole bunch of people casually saying “glory hole,” all next to a 2,000-degree furnace.
How to watch: Blown Away Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Man, f*ck the rich. In this Netflix auto-racing series, owners of luxury supercars go up against “sleeper cars” (older models improved by skilled gear heads) in a quarter-mile race for a chance at the season championship.
It’s high speed and high intrigue, as viewers guess which racer will reign supreme. Trust me when I say, even if you’re not “into” racing, nothing beats a 1992 Honda Civic stomping a Lamborghini.
How to watch: Fastest Car Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Netflix.
Magician Drummond Money-Coutts (aka “DMC”) takes his job very seriously.
An escape artist with decades of experience, DMC knows all too well how stunts and tricks can go wrong. In his Netflix series Death by Magic, the daredevil illusionist attempts feats with a proven track record of killing those who attempt them. The result is a fist-clenching, teeth-grinding fiasco as utterly nerve-racking as it is impressive.
Not interested in watching a dude almost die? You can also check out former Cupcake Wars host Justin Willman’s show Magic for Humans, also on Netflix.
How to watch: Death by Magic Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix’s first original music competition show is basically American Idol, but waaay more badass.
Celebrity judges T.I., Chance the Rapper, and Cardi B (with help from guests including Snoop Dogg, DJ Khaled, and Ty Dolla $ign) scout the cities of Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Chicago in hopes of discovering raw talent in the world of hip hop. The criticism is excellent, albeit occasionally vicious, and the good performances are really, really, good.
Buckle up, pick a favorite, and see who wins the $250,000 grand prize.
How to watch: Rhythm + Flow Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
A reality show centering on husband and wife Francis and Kaiora Tipene, The Casketeers records the challenges and rewards that come with owning a small business — in this case, a funeral home.
Turns out, Tipene Funerals, located in New Zealand, is a hot-bed for drama, antics, and spectacular combinations of the two. Surprisingly lively and respectful of the deceased people featured, The Casketeers is a reality universe that will suck you in for the long haul. Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Netflix. Season 3 began airing on TVNZ 1 earlier this month.
How to watch: The Casketeers Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Netflix.
So, a whole bunch of people count quarters for 24 hours. Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of quarters. No paper, no pen, no breaks, no naps. Then, the competition begins.
In Awake: The Million Dollar Game, these sleep-deprived contestants must take part in Minute to Win It-style challenges designed to exploit their exhaustion. (As an example, in Episode 1, participants are tasked with chugging frozen drinks because sleep deprivation makes you more sensitive to temperature.)
There are a dozen caveats round to round, made ten times more spectacular by just how tired everyone. Logic goes out the window, coordination is a no show, emotional stability is mixed.
Just… watch this. Episode are 40 minutes. It’ll change your life. You’re welcome.
How to watch: Awake: The Million Dollar Game Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
-
Entertainment7 days ago
OpenAI’s plan to make ChatGPT the ‘everything app’ has never been more clear
-
Entertainment6 days ago
‘The Last Showgirl’ review: Pamela Anderson leads a shattering ensemble as an aging burlesque entertainer
-
Entertainment7 days ago
How to watch NFL Christmas Gameday and Beyoncé halftime
-
Entertainment6 days ago
Polyamorous influencer breakups: What happens when hypervisible relationships end
-
Entertainment5 days ago
‘The Room Next Door’ review: Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore are magnificent
-
Entertainment4 days ago
‘The Wild Robot’ and ‘Flow’ are quietly revolutionary climate change films
-
Entertainment4 days ago
Mars is littered with junk. Historians want to save it.
-
Entertainment5 days ago
CES 2025 preview: What to expect